Any activity that takes place on the ground or on the floor is made easier and more pleasant with the use of a mat or other padded surface. Early patents for such mats were designed for sleeping outdoors or for use at the beach. Later various sports required surfaces with different degrees of softness and a variety of athletic mats were developed. Yoga, having been practiced for many years by a limited following, has only recently reached a broader segment of the population and has created a market for mats suited to the special requirements of this practice.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,751,816, Wechsler provides a mat with an absorbent cover which can be removed and replaced during the exercise session. The patent provides an enforced area for headstands and other positions, as well as a meditation blanket, and roll-up capabilities that create a self-contained carry bag.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,930,942, Pringle discloses a foldable combination of sheet and bag for use on the ground or on a deck chair. The sheet has side flaps that can be folded over the user for warmth. There is a cushion at one end of the sheet and a bag at the other. The sheet and cushion can be rolled or folded into the bag for carrying. A back rest can be used with the sheet and can be collapsed to fit into the bag which may also have a carrying strap attached.
Another beach blanket assembly is taught by Glenn in U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,471. This one has a canvas bottom layer and a top layer of toweling. One end of the canvas is folded over and stitched to form one or more pockets which may be closed with zippers.
A foldable mat having a pad enclosed in fabric and a top cover layer, for use by a small child in a nursery school, is disclosed by Ybarra et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,249. A similar sleeping apparatus for use by adults is taught by Knobeloch in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,076. This mat has a cover sheet that can be stored in a pocket at the foot end, and the mat can be rolled and tied for storage. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,120 to Holmes; U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,057 to Duncan; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,805 to Fisher-Cohen et al. Carter et al. describes a padded mat with a pillow area and a built-in sound system to provide a relaxing experience (U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,587).
All of these products have padding between layers of fabric and in some systems a separate cover layer. They also have a separate carrying bag or the mat can be folded or rolled into an attached bag.
Swanger et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,164, teaches a fabric cover for a child's play mat. The cover is made of a washable fabric that is at least part cotton. The cover is in the form of an envelope with a Velcro™ fastener at one end. A child's rest mat that consists of a foam pad enclosed in a removable fabric cover is disclosed by Alonso in U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,041. The cover is stitched around three sides and there is an extra flap of fabric at the open end which is folded over the pad to completely enclose it. Three sets of lines are stitched into the fabric to form fold lines so the mat can be folded in a uniform manner. Two handles on the underside provide easy carrying means.
Scott discloses a similar washable cover for an exercise mat. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,530) The cover has one pocket for the insertion of a pillow and another pocket for a blanket.
A large mat for use by gymnasts and wrestlers is taught by Baldwin et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,583. A frame is made up of a number of segments so the size of the mat may be changed as needed. Cushioning pad segments are placed within the frame and a cover with elastic tie down devices all around is placed on top. The tie downs fit into notches in the frame to hold the cover taut. This mat system can be made large enough to cover most of a gym floor.
Bramble, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,134) designed a mat for use by athletes such as high jumpers. A cover contains two thick foam cushions, each encased within a shield and forming a square mat. The shields have openings so that air can be let in and out to retain the resiliency of the foam.
There are latex strips on the underside to prevent slippage on the floor.
A simple exercise mat made up of two sheets of fabric quilted together with a foam pad between them is disclosed by Westgor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,585. This mat has a double stitched channel around the entire periphery with a drawstring within the channel. When the exerciser is finished the gym clothes and shoes can be placed in the center of the mat and the drawstrings pulled causing the mat to be drawn into a carrying bag.
The prior art disclosed covers for mats that formed envelopes into which the mats had to be inserted. The insertion cannot be accomplished quickly and reversibly during the course of an exercise period. Other systems described secured mat covers which also cannot be quickly and easily removed and replaced.
Various mats for use by Yoga participants are available from matsmatsmats.com on the internet. This source reveals the standard vinyl sponge foam mat in several colors, kits with several components, and a tote bag as well as handled tote bags to contain the mats. Each item can be purchased separately. Yoga mats and tote bags are also available from other Internet sources. Mats, yoga blocks, stretching straps and canvas tote bags may be purchased from many sporting goods shops. Some sets consisting of a tote bag and mat are also available.
None of the prior art mats provide a system in which a towel can be added and removed as desired and where the matt system can be rolled for toting and storage.